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N G The Silence On Wlfe Abuse isolated to avoid the coast tion and insults from the front of others. Sexual assault and rape are often p‘ By Janine Roelens-Grant In l970. when the Royal Commis- sion on the Status of Women released its report to the public. violence against women remained a silent issue. It was not discussed in that report. Since that time. the women‘s movement has strug- gled to bring the issue to the attention of the public. And in the last few years. research indicates the following facts about abuse against Canadian women by men: l in 8 women is physically abused. more recent research indicates l in 4 - l in llitl women approach a transi- tion house or apply for a divorce due to abuse - | woman is raped every I? minutes - lit-W! ot'assaulted women are raped by someone they know ~ Il‘) women were murdered during incidences of domestic violence in WK‘) l l l. i ll tillâ€"J rm thnthw These are just some of the known facts. Researchers. however. state that the "true extent" of abuse against women is not known: they believe that over 2.5 million women are assaulted by men every year in Canada. Today. it is considered a "national epidemic." and representatives from the major women's groups are lobbying for a Royal Commission to look into violence against women. What Constitutes Wife Abuse? The term wife abuse. assault. or bat» lering refers to the physical. psychological. economic. social and sexual abuse by a man against a woman These temis are preferable to domestic or family violence because there is no doubt as to who is the victim and who is the assailant. What Types of Abuse Against Women Exists? Abused women experience a wide range of physical violence » a slap in the face. punching. kicking. choking. biting. burning. stabbing. and some- times physical abuse results in death. It is often the case that minor and infreâ€" quent physical assaults become more serious and more frequent. Constant criticism. degradation and threats are examples of psychological abuse. Women who suffer this kind of abuse are made to feel stupid. inadev quate and worthless. This kind ofabuse undermines a woman’s selfâ€"esteem. reducing her ability to make choices and take action. It is used by men to have power and control over the daily routines and decisions in a woman's life. Depriving a woman ofmoney. some- times even for the family's basic living necessities. is another means by which a man can control his partner. On the other hand. some men "buy forgive- ness" by showering their partner with material possessions; these women are furtherentrapped because they consider these things as “proof of their man‘s love." Women who work outside the home. h0wcver. can also experience economic threats. Their partners may intentionally incurr high debts knowing that both are ultimately responsible. and knowing that this will have the desired effect of keeping a woman from abandoning a relationship. 7 [l ll [:73 t4 O nllt Social battering occurs when a woman is deliberately isolated from her family and friends outside the home. Social isolation can be accomplished in a number of ways: simple denial of the lime to spend with friends and family: denial of a means of transportation: choosing to live in an isolated area; or. constantly moving from place to place. Women may also choose to be socially 51m humitn lr partner in of the pattern of abuse. Forcinu- woman to have sex or pafllCipaletm sexual acts against her wishes are lite most blatant forms of this kind otat. sault. Many women believe that met have no control over their own bridle;- it is their duty to fulfill their partner; sexual desires. And many men believe that their marriage to a woman git-er them the sexual licence to do what thri want. regardless of the Womflllh wishes. What Can Society Do In Response to Abuse Against Women? In the past. society's response to but» tered women has been to minimize or deny the crime. Often. the counx. police. medical and health prnlesv sionals. friends and family have further victimized women. directing them in avoid behaviour they feel has provoked the assault. and ultimately blaming them for the abuse. Any attempt: at intervention to stop the abuse have been viewed as an attack on marriage and the family unit. Traditionally. it has been the intervention, and not the abuse. that has been viewed as more damaging. Yet. wife assault is a crime! It [stud as much a crime to assault a woman tn her home as it is to assault a strangeron the street. We have begun to wit responsibility as a society for stopping and preventing abuse. The t'actdtttlull cases of assault are now tried In Criminal Court and not Family Court Ia step in the right direction. And [ht policy adopted by Canada in 1981 en- couraging police to lay charges H1 case: of wife battering is another. And in the lastdecade. there has b€€f|_ continued progress: the promotion 01 public education programs: an increase. continua/mt [on w 12 H J: C March. April. May [WI